Cuban-Americans Bashed; CNN Chief Clinton's Overnight Guest; "Stupid" ABC 1) A liberal denounced the Miami Cubans in a CBS Evening News story before a Castro henchman asserted that the Cuban-Americans used "a little boy just to satisfy their mean and narrow political interests." But those impugned got no time to respond. 2) Monday night NBC's Jim Avila finally let a dissident note that not all is wonderful in Cuba. Avila still insisted "Cuba is proud of its 98 percent literacy rate and free health care," but he admitted "there are few computers and virtually no Internet." 3) Regulation night on... continue reading
Poor Better Off in Havana; Mother's Fault; Award for Schieffer's Liberal Analysis 1) Quotes of the Weekend: Most Bizarre Quote (better to be poor in Havana than in Miami), Best Exchange (Clinton's lawbreaking "common ground" with Bill Gates), and Best Insult (Reno not "the brightest bulb on the circuit."). Plus, an honest headline. 2) NBC's Jim Avila blamed Elian's mother: "An extended family destroyed by a mother's decision to start a new life in a new country." She just didn't appreciate the Cuban "good life" and her "prestigious job" as a hotel maid. 3) An association of journalists awarded Bob... continue reading
Titanic Song for Clinton; Father's Words "Passionate"; Castro in Control? 1) The Washington media elite made fun of ABC News over the Leonardo DiCaprio interview: Bill Clinton was introduced with the playing of the "Love Theme from Titanic" at Thursday night's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner. 2) ABC's Leo-Gate. The Fox News Channel reported that Joe Lockhart won't back down on insisting ABC wanted an interview session, noted that ABC sent four camera crews with DiCaprio and relayed how the White House is now accusing ABC of "parsing" words. 3) GMA and Today hosts and reporters treated the airport... continue reading
Castro Succeeded; Economic Summit: Doom or Boom?; Freeh Memo; Leo-Gate 1) Fidel Castro thinks he's "succeeded in reducing support in the U.S. for the hardline anti-Castro Cubans in Miami," ABC's Morton Dean assessed. 2) A "Cuban exile," whom one ABC show featured to denounce her fellow Cuban exiles as intolerant people who should be ashamed of using Elian as a puppet, is really the head of an advocacy group, another ABC show revealed. 3) Geraldo Rivera's fantasy: Elian grows up to become President of a democratic Cuba. 4) Two conflicting spins on the White House economic summit. CBS: "Caution flags"... continue reading
"Cuban Good Life" Awaits Elian; Miami Intolerant; ABC to Dump DiCaprio? 1) Did the government suit against Microsoft prompt or contribute to Tuesday's stock market plunge? CBS didn't mention the Microsoft case, ABC downplayed it. Only NBC allowed that "investors are worried now about government intervention in business." 2) The "Cuban good life" awaits Elian, promised NBC's Jim Avila who predicted his family would get "perks like five free gallons" of gas and a monthly bag full of beans, shampoo and deodorant. 3) Forget communist Cuba. ABC's John Quinones complained that Miami is "a community with very little tolerance." NBC's... continue reading
MS Lost, But Consumers Won; Scandal Avoidance, Except Hillary's VRWC 1) The networks led Monday night with the "sweeping defeat for Microsoft." CBS touted "consumers" as the winners, suggesting the ruling will mean "lower prices down the road." Tom Brokaw scolded Bill Gates for his bad deposition and for not settling. 2) ABC and CBS promoted the move in Massachusetts, in the words of CBS's Jim Axelrod, to make "an end run around the traditional gun control debate by making gun safety a consumer product issue." 3) NBC Today co-host Matt Lauer raised the charge of "kidnapping" against the Miami... continue reading
Leonardo DiCaprio, ABC News Reporter; ABC Muffled Elian; NBC's George Roche 1) Best line of the weekend: Tony Blankley suggested how Al Gore could become credible on campaign finance reform. 2) The April 1 Notable Quotables may have seemed all too real, but be assured they were made up. April Fools. 3) No April Fools joke: ABC News had actor Leonardo DiCaprio, emcee of an Earth Day celebration, interview Bill Clinton about Earth Day for an upcoming ABC News special. On Fox Brit Hume chastised: "This is a once great news division that has completely lost it's way and it... continue reading
E-Mail Bounced Again; Judge Snubbed in AM; Liberal & Moderate VP Picks 1) Not a syllable Thursday night on ABC, CBS, MSNBC or NBC on White House counsel Beth Nolan's appearance before the House Government Reform Committee to respond to questions about e-mail. CNN and FNC ran full reports. 2) Nothing on e-mail, but ABC had time for the "conspiracy to retaliate" against Smith & Wesson and a helmet law in Italy. CBS looked at lights in the sky. NBC relayed how Elian is missing Cuba's "education system that is the envy of Latin America." NBC offered an admiring profile... continue reading
Seconds for Clinton's "Criminal Violation"; Ruling Buried at Press Conference 1) A federal judge's finding that Bill Clinton violated the Privacy Act, in releasing Kathleen Willey's letters, generated just seconds on all networks but FNC. Capturing more time: An adjustable stadium, baseball's opening day, melting ice in Alaska, how easily mattresses burn, a finger-length test for lesbianism. 2) FNC's Brit Hume noticed "we were ten questions into this news conference when he was finally asked about the federal judge's finding" that Clinton "had committed a criminal violation." CBS's Mark Knoller asked Clinton for his advice for Tony Blair and how... continue reading
"Best" for Elian; Equating Bush & Gore Fundraising; Knocking Noonan 1) Peter Jennings suggested going back to Cuba is what's "best" for Elian Gonzalez, lamenting how the relatives have failed to cooperate to "allow the case of this young boy to end in a civilized manner that is best for him." 2) CBS News compensated for its Tuesday night piece on charges of illegal fundraising by Gore by highlighting on Wednesday liberal complaints about Bush, though there are no charges of illegality: "Critics say big Bush contributors often win big favors." 3) This week Dan Rather jumped on a Zogby... continue reading